Kratom is an all-purpose herb hailing from Southeast Asia’s lush high altitude lands and forests. Its use has been gaining momentum in the West ever since the herb was readily available for sale through online stores, smoke shops, headshops, and dispensaries.
Being a relatively new herb, there is a lot of uncertainty and speculation surrounding its everyday use. One crucial aspect to consider and weigh down before taking any herb, let alone Kratom is its impact on the probation drug test.
People are often expected to go through drug testing, whether as part of the employment procedure or probation/parole. As such, they are left wondering whether or not Kratom is detectable on the drug test?
The short answer is, “No, it can’t be detected.” However, the long answer is pretty much complicated. Let’s get straight into the details!
What is a Probation Drug Test?
A Probation Drug Test is a test you are obliged to take while undergoing a drug court case or on a federal or county probation/ parole so as to determine whether you have ingested any drugs while undergoing a drug court case or on a federal or county probation/ parole.
The most common probation drug tests include:
1) The 5-Panel Urine Drug Test
Urine drug tests can typically detect drug usage when taken three days before the testing or a bit longer in chronic users. This test analyzes urine samples for only five types of drugs- opiates, marijuana, cocaine, PCP, and amphetamines. Some drug testing requirements also include alcohol testing within the five-panel test.
2) The 10-Panel Urine Drug Test
The 10-panel test detects PCP, marijuana, cocaine, barbiturates, opiates, amphetamines, methadone, benzodiazepines, propoxyphene, and Quaaludes. It can also include alcohol for probation testing.
On certain occasions, both the five-panel and ten-panel tests may include extended opiates testing or an extended panel test.
3) Hair Follicle Drug Testing
Hair follicle drug testing is an important and common procedure generally ordered by courts while examining long-term drug usage. This test has a broader window of detection than urine tests and can detect repeated drug usage up to 90 days prior to the testing when chronic use is suspected.
Can The 12 Panel Test Detect Kratom?
Today, more and more companies are adopting a strong “drug-free environment”. Hence, employers are subjecting potential employees to drug tests before accepting them into the organization during the interview stage. Besides, the hired employees aren’t spared either. They are equally subjected to randomized drug tests if the employer suspects drug use at any point.
A 12-panel drug test is an extensive drug usage test that includes testing for methaqualone, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, marijuana, phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine, methadone, propoxyphene, ecstasy, Oxycodone, and opiates.
This is a general list of tested drugs, but officers can also customize the 12-panel drug tests to suit the facility’s needs administering the test. On the occasion where the employer/probation officer suspects abuse of a particular drug, even that can be included within the 12-panel test.
Standard drug tests do not include testing for Kratom. This means not even the 12-panel drug test can detect Kratom usage. And, surprisingly both, employers and probation/parole officers use the standard panel drug test.
So, the chances are you will not fail them. Unless Kratom is being explicitly tested for, it is unlikely to be detected in a 12-panel drug test. And, of course, there are exorbitant costs involved in having to run such specific drug tests to detect kratom use such as the high-performance liquid chromatography employed in a 2009 Study led by the New York State Department of Health.
It is also worth remembering that certain states or areas in the U.S have mandated the testing of Kratom, which is added to the standard testing regimen. Therefore, consumers must beware and always check for the prevailing rules and regulations. Although Kratom is legal in most states, the high alkaloid levels may become a problem if you’re suspected of abusing Kratom in a jurisdiction where it is illegal.
Does Kratom Show Up on a 5 Panel Urine Test?
Unless explicitly tested, kratom is undetectable in most standard drug tests, such as the 5-panel drug test. However, as indicated in a 2012 Research certain urine and blood drug tests can identify high levels of alkaloids in your system- the primary compound in Kratom. If a Kratom-specific drug test is used, Kratom usage can be detected up to 7 days prior to the test being conducted, but the detection window varies depending on many external factors.
If you run the risk of facing jail time or losing an employment opportunity because of Kratom detection, it is best not to consume Kratom in the meanwhile. Even if you pass a urine or blood test, it does not mean that you have no drugs in your system since trace amounts can still be detected in a drug screen test. It only means that your drug levels fall below the level needed for the test to show positive.
It is essential to note that some alkaloids in Kratom may be detected in a urine test. Besides, the officer has the right to send your urine sample for in-depth laboratory testing, where Kratom will be detected.
How Long Kratom Stays in The System?
While ceasing the use of any drug, it is natural for consumers to wonder how long the drug will stay in the system. Or what will be the withdrawal symptoms, and when will they surface once the use is stopped.
To get the hang of the concept, we need to understand that the length any food or medicine stays in the system primarily depends upon its half-life, i.e., the time our body takes to flush out and reduce the quantity of food or drugs taken by half.
The research on half-life remains nascent and inconclusive. However, a recent 2015 Research by the Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand revealed that Mitragynine, the primary alkaloid in Kratom, has a half-life of 23 to 24 hours, i.e., one full day, while the fastest half-life recorded is just 2 hours. This implies that, on average, our body takes five days to eliminate all the traces of Kratom in the system.
At the quickest (based on the two-hour half-life), it would take merely half a day to clear Kratom, while at the lowest end of the spectrum, it would take around nine days. Also, there are several factors that influence the half-life and hence the duration Kratom stays in the system, which we will discuss below.
Factors Influencing Kratom In The System
Kratom can be detected in blood and urine tests for up to seven days after consumption. However, the levels of Kratom present in your system depend on many variables. Here is a general guideline to help you identify how long your body will take to flush Kratom out thoroughly.
1) Age
Older people tend to have a more extended elimination period than younger individuals for most orally-ingested substances. That’s primarily because the metabolic and renal functions slow down owing to the use of medications and other age-related body changes. This ultimately results in Kratom staying within the body for an extended time, so it will likely take much longer to flush out of the system than with a younger person.
2) Body fat percentage and weight
Individuals with higher body fat percentages are likely to retain Kratom metabolites much longer, as the Mitragynine in Kratom is highly fat-soluble. In contrast, Kratom is less likely to be detected in people with lower body weight and fat percentages.
3) Food & Water Intake
Consuming Kratom with a high-fat meal will lead to quicker absorption of Kratom and cause it to stay in your body for longer. How much water you intake and remove through urine is also an essential factor. The more well-hydrated, the more you will urine, so the faster you will be able to discharge Kratom.
4) Health Conditions
Any genetic or acquired health condition will influence how long Kratom remains detectable in your system. Liver disease or other issues affecting renal function, urinary ph, and metabolic rate will weigh insignificantly.
5) Dosage & Substance Consumption
This is simple logic. The amount of Kratom consumed is directly related to how long it takes to flush out thoroughly. Mixing and matching Kratom with other drugs or consuming a large dose at once dramatically changes the rate at which they are expelled from the body- in turn affecting the window of detection.
6) Genetics
Specific genetic markers, enzymes, and other hereditary features may influence how long Kratom (or any other substance) remains in your body.
7) Frequency Of Usage
An avid Kratom user? A little heads up as Kratom would take substantially more time to eliminate in regular, heavy, and long-term users than the seasoned or low dose users.
Conclusion
People on probation and parole are not allowed to consume alcohol or psychoactive drugs. Hence, we strongly recommend users to not take Kratom if they are on probation as violations of these obligations may lead to case proceedings and jail time.
While standard panel drug tests do not include urine testing for Kratom, some specific tests can detect it, which you may be subjected to if you are suspected or have admitted to using Kratom while on probation or parole.
Hence, consuming its high amounts when you’re scheduled for contact with your probation officer is not a good idea, as visible signs of intoxication or drug high can be detected easily so this can risk getting busted and facing jail time.
Often parole officers pay random home visits to search for the presence of any drug. Even in those instances, the possession of Kratom can or cannot be an issue. One must best discuss the matter with your legal team to stay safe.
Also, do not, we repeat, do not, walk into a parole office trembling, sweating, or remaining confused or scared. That will be enough to raise alarms, and the officers will test for everything under the sun. Just be calm and confident.
